Nancy's Chair in Women's Studies
2009-2012
C.M., Ed.D OISE/University of Toronto457-6257
IWGSJ 4
msvu.ca
Dr. Deverell's distinguished career has included work as an academic, broadcaster, television producer/director, journalist, arts administrator and theatre artist. She holds a BA in Philosophy from Adelphi University, MA in History of Religions from Columbia University and EdD in Curriculum from OISE at the University of Toronto, and was the first woman to lead a journalism program in Canada in her position as Director of the School of Journalism at the University of Regina in the 1980s. She completed her term as head of news and current affairs at the Aboriginal People's Network in 2005 and is a founder of Vision TV, the world's first multifaith and multicultural network.
Recently Dr. Deverell has produced, directed, written, or acted in several theatre pieces and television dramas, as well as being an Editor and/or Contributor to three books. . She was recognized in 2005 with the Order of Canada for her pioneering work in journalism, with the CanWest Global Fellowship at the University of Western Ontario in 2007, and as Storyteller in Residence at Centennial College's Centre for Creative Communications and in 2008.
In 2011 Nancy's Chair celebrated its 25th. anniversary and the contributions of the Chair, Senator Nancy Ruth, Deverell, and the Mount were recognized by a Resolution presented by Diana Whalen, MLA in the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly.
Education
1966. B.A. Philosophy Adelphi University
1968. M.A. History of Religions Columbia University
1984. Ed.D. Curriculum OISE / University of Toronto
Additonal Experience
--2006 -- Women in the Director’s Chair, Banff, 1 of 8 student TV & film drama directors selected (bursaries from: NFB, OnScreen MB, CBC).
--2001 – 2002. Sabbatical, Fall 2001. Visiting scholar (with Neil Postman) at New York University, Department of Culture and Communication.
--1981 – 1983. Performing Arts Consultant, Saskatchewan Arts Board. Responsibilities included 2 symphony orchestras, 3 theatres, 1 dance company, numerous individual artists, reporting to an arm’s length board.
Publications and Speeches
--LEAF, Legal Education and Action Fund, Manitoba, "In Praise of Nellie McClung and Florence James," 2005.
--Candian Congress of Black Women, Winnipeg, keynote, 2005.
--CRARR, Centre for Action-Research on Race Relations, Concordia, "Who Will Inherit the Airwaves?", 2008. Full speech on Banff TV Execs website; exerpts in Radio-TV Directors newsletter; in-press Canadian Journal of Communications, Feb. 2009 issue.
--"Film and TV Tax Credits," Tononto SUN, June 2008.
--"Jean Augustine Chair," York University, Toronto SUN, June 2008.
--"Toronto Gets Action," compares propane explosion to Chemical Valley ON, Toronto SUN, July 2008.
--"Pampered Artists on $13,000 a Year," Toronto SUN, August 2008.
--"Still looking for the Religious Left," Toronto SUN, September 2008.
--"Mom and Obama," Toronto SUN, November 2008.
--"Guns in my Backyard," Toronto SUN, Februrary 2009.
-- "On Subjectivity: What you can See Depends on where you Stand and how Short you Are," chapter on journalism ethics in Deadlines and Diversity, Fernwood Publishing, Halifax, 1996.
--"When the Performer is Black." Canadian Theatre Review (CTR), 1985. Chapter in book in press, 2009.
Television
Independent Productions, RJ Deverell Productions
2006-07, Solo Flight International, 3 x 1-hour dramas, Producer/Director/Writer Screenplays (independent).
--"Bonhoeffer," English and German versions, to be broadcast on OMNI 1 Canadian network, Sept. & Dec. 2007.
--"She Said Saffron," English and Spanish versions, OMNI, broadcast Sept. & Dec. 2007
--"Smoked Glass Ceiling," English and Punjabi versions. OMNI, Producer/writer of original play and screenplay, broadcast January 2008.
Note: 3 English versions above also broadcast on Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN) 2008.
Solo Flight West, 3 x 1-hour dramas, Producer/Director/Writer Screenplays (independent).
--"Glory Days," broadcast on the Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN) 2008.
--"McCarthy and the Old Woman." SCN, 2008.
--"Confessions of an Indian Cowboy," broadcast on APTN network Feb. 2008 and SCN, 2008.
Tipping Point, arts short, 4:04, Bravo!, the new style Canadian Arts Channel, Producer/Director/Writer (independent). First Broadcast in July 2007.
Screened at the Banff Summer Arts Festival 2007, Women in the Director’s Chair Showcase.
"Not a Drop," 1-hour docu-drama, for OMNI, complete May 2008. Producer/Director/Writer of original Screenplay, about the aftermath of Katrina & water problems in Cdn. Aboriginal communities (premiere is March 21 & 22, 2009 on OMNI).
In-house Productions
2002-05. APTN (Aboriginal Peoples TV Network) National News, daily live half-hour, APTN network, Director of News and Current Affairs (staff). Executive Producer/Producer.
--Contact, weekly 1-hour live open line show, APTN network, Director of News and Current Affairs (staff). Executive Producer.
Specials – APTN (Aboriginal Peoples TV Network) – Executive Producer.
--Assembly of First Nations Election 2003 coverage, Inuit, and Métis national elections
--Canadian Federal Elections 2004 coverage
--Aboriginal Solidarity Day, June 21st, 04, 05, special programming
1974-75, Take 30, 26 half-hours on the "Rights of Children," broadcast on CBC network, Researcher/Host/Interviewer (contract).
1976-80, All in a Tube, 50 half-hours, magazine show for older children, broadcast on 14 private Canadian stations, Ottawa to Vancouver, Producer/ Show Runner. (contract).
1976-77, 24 Hours News, 13 current affairs feature reports, CBC Saskatchewan, Reporter/interviewer (freelance).
1984, Grandmother, Mother and Me, 6 half-hours, Regina Public School Board and SaskMedia, educational, Producer/host/Writer. (freelance).
1978-88, Regina Noon, 3 half-hours a week x 26 weeks, CBC Saskatchewan, Writer/broadcaster/interviewer (contract).
1989-95, It’s About Time, weekly 1-hour current affairs show, Vision TV full Canadian network, Producer/host/show runner. (staff).
1996-98, Arts Express, weekly half-hour arts magazine show, Vision TV network, Producer/host (staff).
1995-2001, Skylight, daily half-hour current affairs show, Vision TV network, Producer/co-host/show runner. (VP Production, staff).
2001, Specials: Indian Residential Schools,Vision TV, Aboriginal Peoples TV Network, CBC NewsWorld co-production, 5-hours, co-Producer/host (VP Production).
--Aftermath of 911 Attacks, 90 min. town hall, Vision TV network, Producer/host.
--Assisted Suicide, Vision TV and CBC radio Ideas, co-Producer/host.
2002, World Youth Day coverage, 12 live hours, Producer/co-host, Vision TV network (staff).
Actress / Playwright, Productions
2005, Smoked Glass Ceiling, 1-woman show, performer/writer. Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, 2005, Ottawa and Edmonton Fringe Festivals, 2006. (21 performances)
2006, Pure Animals, staged reading of 2-person show, performer/writer, FemFest 2006, new works by women, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada.
2006, McCarthy and the Old Woman, 1-woman show, performer/writer. Winnipeg and Saskatoon Fringe Festivals, 2006. (19 performances).
2008, Big Ease, Big Sleaze," Winnipeg Fringe (10 performances).
Theatre
2008, Auntie, The First Stone, staged reading, Summerworks, Toronto.
2007, Verleen, Wild Magic, Winnipeg Fringe Festival
1984, Various Roles, Voyage/Voyager, the World Council of Churches, Vancouver
1974-1976, Mrs. Peachum, Threepenny Opera, Globe Theatre, Regina
Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Globe Theatre, Regina
Various roles, documentary, Medicare, Globe Theatre, Regina
1971-72, Shakespeare’s Women, The Hat, Globe Theatre School Tour
1970, the Negro Woman, In White America, Theatre London
1969-70, Dionysus, Dionysus in 69, Studio Lab Theatre, Toronto
1960-62, Various apprentice productions, Alley Theatre, Houston
Boards of Dirctors and Committees
-Ontario Film Development Corporation.
-Nightwood Theatre.
-Advisory Board, St. Lawrence Centre Forum.
-Women in Film and Television, Toronto.
-Advisory Board, Program in Culture and Communications, Ryerson & York Universities.
-Obsidian Theatre.
-Advisory Board, Innoversity (Diversity and Innovation)
-CAB, Joint Societal Issues Committee
-CAB, Joint Awards Committee
CURRENT – 2008-09
-Advisory Board, Graduate School of Journalism, University of Western Ontario, 2000-present.
-Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, Specialty Panel, 2001-present.
-CMR (Canadian Multicultural Radio), founding Advisory Board, 2002-present.
-Media Awareness Network 2006-present.
-Advisory Committee, Humber College Theatre Performance, 2006-present.
-Bd. of Governors Communications Committee, Ontario College of Art & Design, 2006
-Board of Governors, OCAD, 2007-present.
--Creative Women’s Workshops Association, 2007-present.
Selected Awards
-MacLean’s Honour Role of Outstanding Canadians
-Media Watch, Dodi Robb Award
-YWCA Women to Watch, Regina
-Canadian Ethnic Journalists’ and Writer’s Club
-WIFT-T Crystal Award
-Black Achievement Award
-Gemini Canada for It’s About Time
-Gemini, Best Information Program for Skylight
-CAB Hall of Fame, 2002